


Coming Home

by dreamnite



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Christmas, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Light Angst, Little Match Girl - Freeform, M/M, Mention of Fairytales, Snow, Winter, hopefully, jaehyun shows up in the extra, mariah carey is a BOP, rated t for cursing, this is a bop
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-11
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:00:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28005045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dreamnite/pseuds/dreamnite
Summary: Donghyuck misses Mark. All he wants for Christmas is to see him again.
Relationships: Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung, Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Mark Lee
Comments: 5
Kudos: 76





	Coming Home

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by NCT U’s song “Coming Home.” (Highly recommend listening to [it](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57sYinArEC4&ab_channel=SMTOWN) while reading this. Really sets the mood!)

After the holiday season started in full force, the usual ghost town mall near Donghyuck’s workplace is bustling with people. 

At a small, two-person square table near the corner of the food court sits Doyoung, who is slowly working through a half-eaten croissant sandwich and nursing a lukewarm cup of hot chocolate from Starbucks while scrolling through his Twitter timeline. As per their usual lunch break ritual, Donghyuck sets down his tray in front Doyoung and plops down in the seat directly across from his coworker. 

“I hate it here.” Doyoung says without even sparing a glance up at the other. “There’s one too many people here today.”

“Hello, Mr. Doyoung. I had a good day. Thanks for asking.” Donghyuck quips sarcastically. “It’s the holiday season. Plus, it’s almost Christmas. What do you expect?”

“Peace and quiet.” Doyoung heaves a heavy sigh, “Preferably somewhere far, far away from you for once, but I guess that’s too much to ask for.” 

“Wow, you say that as if you forgot that I’m the only one who’s willing to eat lunch with you.” 

Donghyuck rips his hamburger wrapper apart and digs into his meal, blatantly ignoring Doyoung’s burning glare. His phone rings as a notification pops up on his screen, successfully snatching its owner’s attention away from his food. Seeing as it wasn’t a text from the person he wanted to hear from, Donghyuck swipes the popup away and swallows the rising disappointment. 

“I could say the same to you.” Doyoung rebuked, crossing his arms. 

“Alright,” Donghyuck raises an eyebrow and pretends to gather his stuff to leave. “Then I’ll just leave and go eat with Renjun from now on since you obviously don’t enjoy me and my company.” 

“Wait,” Doyoung’s eyes grow round and he reaches out to grab the younger’s wrist. “Wait, Donghyuck-ie. I’m joking.” 

“So I’ll take that as a ‘Yes, you do enjoy my company.’” Donghyuck grins back triumphantly and takes a big gulp from his soda as the older sighs resignedly. 

“Anyways, I wanted to ask what you wanted for Christmas.” Doyoung took a small bite from his almost forgotten sandwich. When the younger clears his throat, Doyoung flinches and braces himself for whatever Donghyuck has up his sleeve. 

“Baby _._ ” Donghyuck sings in his best falsetto, earning him a very disgusted look from Doyoung. “All I want for Christmas is _you.”_

“You’re impossible.” Doyoung heaves a heavy sigh as Donghyuck cackles in satisfaction. “Seriously, tell me what you want as your present.” 

“I don’t want anything.” Donghyuck waves him off and takes a big bite of his burger, mumbling between chews. 

“The fuck.” Doyoung pauses mid-sip and slams his cup down with more force than intended from his shock. “Are you really Lee Donghyuck? Or is the world going to end tomorrow?” 

“What is that supposed to mean.” Donghyuck grumbles, making a disgruntled face at Doyoung. 

“Well, usually every year you would be all like, ‘Hyunnggg, get me this’ or Hyunggie, where’s my present.’ And get all mopey if I don’t get you anything.” 

Donghyuck splutters, “That’s not true!” 

Doyoung gives the younger a look.

“Ok, it’s somewhat true.”

“Alright,” Doyoung takes a sip of his hot chocolate. “Then why are you being like this in the year I _do_ remember and even _offer_ to get you something? Are you scheming something? Please don’t tell me you _actually_ want to rob a bank with Jaemin. I’m not going to bail you out.

“Oh, maybe you did already.” Doyoung pauses to contemplate something. “I don’t care. But at very least, don’t drag Jeno into it. He’s innocent.”

“With all due respect, kindly fuck off, hyung.” Donghyuck jabs his finger into Doyoung’s chest. “Look, I just don’t want anything this year.”

“Hmm. Alright then.” 

Despite saying that, Doyoung didn’t look convinced at all, constantly shooting Donghyuck skeptical looks even when they’ve moved on to other topics. 

But it’s true. Donghyuck pushed his scattered fries around with a slightly lonely smile. There’s only one person who can give him what he wants for Christmas, and it isn’t Doyoung. 

“I think I’m getting tired of hamburgers.” Donghyuck crumples up the tenth empty hamburger wrapper he’s had that week and walks with Doyoung to the trashcan to throw away the trash. “I miss the taste of undercooked eggs.” 

“I don’t think that’s healthy.” Doyoung raises an eyebrow and gives Donghyuck an extremely concerned look. “Why undercooked of all things?” 

Donghyuck laughs. “Yea, I wonder. But he’s always made them that way.” 

“He… undercooked eggs.” Doyoung puts two and two together. “Are you talking about Mark Lee again?”

Donghyuck gasps overdramatically as Doyoung rolls his eyes. “We don’t utter He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named's name in this household.” 

“Since when was Mark Lee Voldemort?”

“Hush!” Donghyuck covers his coworker’s mouth and his eyes dart around as if Mark Lee would magically teleport all the way to Korea. “You’ll summon the dark lord!”

“Knock it off.” Doyoung slaps Donghyuck’s hand away with the most irritated expression he’s had all day as they start making their way out of the mall towards the parking garage. “You’ve been talking about ‘Mark Lee! Morkly!’ everyday ever since he left for Canada almost an year ago. What’s with the sudden change—oh. Oooh.”

The grin on Doyoung’s face looks half triumphant, half maniacal, reminding Donghyuck of the Cheshire Cat from that Alice in Wonderland movie. 

“I don’t like that look on your face. Whatever you’re thinking, you’re wrong.” Donghyuck steps back, feeling extremely threatened by Doyoung for the first time in years. 

“You.” Doyoung says so gleefully, any onlooker would’ve thought he just won the lottery. “You miss Mark Lee.” 

“No.” Avoiding all eye contact, Donghyuck is metaphorically and quite literally backed into a corner by Doyoung. “No, I don’t.”

Doyoung laughs with the air of a Marvel villain. “Wow. I can’t believe I never noticed this whole time with how much you mention him. You want to see him again, right?” 

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

“Then, great timing! Isn’t he coming back for Christmas?”

Donghyuck snaps up with such a hurt expression it immediately breaks Doyoung out of his reverie. Doyoung hasn’t seen such a heartbroken look on the younger since the day Mark left due to relocation to their company's Canadian branch. 

“No.” Donghyuck pushes the other away. 

“What?”

“He’s not.” Donghyuck pushes the door leading to the parking garage open as Doyoung trails after him. 

“Donghyuck…” 

Passing row after row of neatly parked cars, their footsteps echo through the large mall parking garage. Donghyuck bites down on his lip hard enough to bleed, trying to hold back his tangled mess of emotions about a certain someone. 

Doyoung reaches out a hand for Donghyuck’s shoulder. “Donghyuck, wait—” 

“I said he’s not coming back!” Donghyuck spins around and slaps Doyoung’s hand off his shoulder with his lips tighten in a line and tightly knit brows. He visibly deflates. “He’s not coming back… okay? He’s too busy for us.”

“But are you okay?” 

“I will be.” Donghyuck musters a sad, lopsided smile, having fished out his keys and unlocked his car with a beep. “Happy holidays, hyung. Have fun at Jaehyun’s holiday dinner.” 

Without sparing another word, Donghyuck drives back to his office to bury himself in mindless work, leaving behind Doyoung and any hopes for Christmas. 

Donghyuck sits on a park swing, accompanied by nothing else other than the cold December air, flickering park lights, and an empty playground. He forgot to bring his gloves and scarf with him when he left his apartment earlier. But nevertheless, he welcomes the cold. The chilly breeze sobers him up as he breathes on his hands to warm them up.

Christmas eve brought Donghyuck to a bar. Two bottles and a half in his system shoved all unnecessary thoughts and feelings out the window along with his consciousness. The last thing he remembers is the bartender shaking him awake with an extremely troubled expression and kicking him out since the store closed 20 minutes earlier. He wandered around, found this empty playground, and had been here ever since.

Donghyuck doesn’t know how much time has passed since then, but it’s getting colder with each passing minute. He searches his coat pockets. Maybe he has a forgotten, leftover handwarmer from standing outside the whole night trying to help Chenle and Jisung buy limited edition, first press games. His left hand comes in contact with a small, rectangular box. 

It’s a match box. 

One of Mark’s ‘nice’ presents from last Christmas, Donghyuck recounts. While most of the matches were in bad shape after Donghyuck threw them along with his coat into the washing machine, there are three left that are still dry and in relatively good shape even having been forgotten for almost an year. 

“How did that fairytale go again?” Donghyuck mumbles to himself, striking one match and watching the tip burst alive into a bright flame. “Do I make a wish?”

Donghyuck wishes that he can go back to last Christmas. 

He didn’t expect to get his heart broken in less than one day. Like that famous English song, last year he gave someone his heart on this very same day. While that very someone hadn't exactly given it away, the very next day he decided it was as good of a time as any to tell Donghyuck that he has to go back to Canada. Before the year’s end, Mark had packed all his things and left Donghyuck with a broken heart and a half-empty apartment. 

Maybe if Donghyuck never gave his heart away, Mark would still be here now. Donghyuck shakes his head. No, that’s wishful thinking. It wouldn’t have changed anything.

The flames dim to nothing, leaving a small ribbon of smoke trailing in the wind. Soft white flecks drift into his sight. 

Donghyuck looks up and reaches out a hand. “It’s snowing.

“His stupidly large eyes would’ve lit up at the sight of this.” A large clump of snow lands on his palm and melts away at contact. Donghyuck flicks alive another match. “I wish he’s here to see this.” 

_“Donghyuck, don’t look so sad. I’ll be back before you know it.” Mark promised at the airport. He had five minutes before his boarding time. “Wish I got to see the first snow before I left though. Send me pics!”_

_“If it snows, I’ll be the last person you’ll hear from.” Donghyuck grumbled as Mark laughed goodnaturedly._

_“Then, how about this? I’ll come back to see the first snow of next winter with you.” Mark smiled as an announcement for boarding blared through the loudspeakers above._

_Donghyuck’s eyes lit up. “Promise?”_

_“I promise, Donghyuck-ah!” Mark disappeared into the crowd of passengers._

“Dumbass,” Donghyuck mumbles sadly, watching the flames extinguish again. “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.” 

The snow gathers at his feet, painting the ground pure white. Donghyuck shudders, dusts off his head and shoulders, and pulls his coat tighter around him. The street lamp over his head flickers once more and dies completely, drowning Donghyuck in the dark. 

“Last match. Then time to go home.” 

He lights the match for the last time and watches mesmerized by the flame that roars alive, blazing with more strength than the ones before it. The light was so bright that Donghyuck can still see the afterimage of the match in front of him even after he had closed his eyes. 

“I really wish I could see you again.” Donghyuck blows the match out as the wisps of smoke carry his last shards of hope away. 

The silence is peaceful, yet suffocating. Everyone is probably celebrating at home with their loved ones. It’s time to go home, but Donghyuck can’t bring himself to get up. There’s no one waiting for Donghyuck in his dark, lonely apartment. Nothing to look forward to. 

His phone suddenly rings through the silence. 

Donghyuck picks up without looking. “Hello?” 

“Hyuck-ah.” A familiar voice blared through his phone speaker, sounding extremely out of breath. “I’m coming home.” 

“What?” Donghyuck can’t believe his ears. He pushes himself off the swing. 

Was it his imagination or did the person sound a lot like—?

But the line was dead silent other than the occasional sound of breath or the rustling sounds of clothes. Maybe it was a wrong call. Donghyuck was just about to hang up when the voice spoke through the speaker again. 

“Look-” The person wheezes. “Look behind you.” 

So Donghyuck does. 

And there he is, haloed by the dancing snow and illuminated by the street lamps far away. With a red nose and blushed cheeks surrounded by puffs of white breaths, the person waves at Donghyuck with a blinding smile, shouting “Donghyuck-ah!” 

“Mark.”

Donghyuck launches himself at him and hears a very strangled “oof”, squeezing whatever air Mark had left in his lungs away. He tightens his arms around the other and buries his face into Mark’s shoulder as if Mark could disappear at any second. 

“I’m home.” Mark laughs, sounding quite winded, but he reciprocates Donghyuck’s hug, rubbing soothing circles into the other back. 

“Took you long enough, dumbass.” Donghyuck says, voice muffled from Mark’s coat and strained from holding back tears.

“I’m sorry.” Mark says sheepishly after Donghyuck pulled away. “I brought a present?” 

At that, Mark rummages through his old Jansport backpack and pulls out a small, white box wrapped with dainty, white twine. 

“Toothpaste set.” Donghyuck observes. The words ‘Vancouver International Airport’ sparkles in fancy, cursive gold text at him. 

“It’s different from the toothpaste we use at home! It’s fancy airport toothpaste.” Mark says while gauging Donghyuck’s expression. Seeing a lack of response, he adds with a sad smile. “Sorry, there’s a better present on the way to you. I didn’t know I was coming back until the very last minute—”

“I love it.”

“So I didn’t have time to pick out a gift to give to you in person—wait.” Mark stops rambling mid-sentence. “What?”

“I love it.” Donghyuck smiles.

“I…” Mark stammers. “I didn’t know you liked toothpaste so much. I’ll get you more from now on, but you might have to wait until the next time I visit the Vancouver airport.” 

“No, Mark. Not the toothpaste.” Donghyuck scoffs but couldn’t help bursting into laughter. 

“Oh. Should I get you something else then?”

“I don’t want anything else.” Donghyuck teases, eyes sparkling happily. “I already have you.”

“Me.” Mark parrots, seagull eyebrows knit in confusion. 

“Clean your ears, Mark fucking Lee, because I’m only going to say this once. _You_ are the best gift you could’ve ever given me.” Donghyuck crosses his arms and adds in English. “ _Understand, man_?”

“ _I understand._ ” Mark replies back in English between giggles.

“Now, let’s go.” Donghyuck huffs, content with his English skills, and grabs the older’s hand. “The cold is killing your last two brain cells.” 

“Yea. Okay.” Mark follows obediently with a warm smile. 

“Thanks for keeping your promise, hyung.” Donghyuck mumbles shyly as the two make their way back to the main street towards the subway station.

“Always.” Mark squeezes Donghyuck’s hand. 

  
“Let’s go _home_.”

**Author's Note:**

> Ironically, Doyoung _was_ the person who could give Haechan what he wanted for Christmas.  
> After the garage fiasco, Doyoung immediately whipped out his phone, pulled up his contacts app, and scrolled to the name ‘Mark’ sorted under the letter L before he even reached his car. He told (read: threatened) Mark over the phone that if Mark comes home, Doyoung would take over Mark’s overtime work as both Mark and Donghyuck’s Christmas present this year.  
>   
> “Lee Donghyuck.” Doyoung grumbles as he viciously types up Mark’s work reports. “You owe me big time.”  
> Jaehyun watches calmly over the other’s shoulder as he sips on his hot cocoa. “Fighting.”
> 
> Note: Mark actually did give Haechan toothpaste for Christmas back in [2017](https://nakamotens.tumblr.com/post/168570339431/marks-that-friend-who-cant-give-good-presents).


End file.
